Netflix Is Getting Live Action Marvel Shows (Starting With Daredevil)

Netflix and Disney just announced a new deal that will see the Marvel Universe making its way to the realm of the Netflix original series. There will be at least four different shows and a mini-series.

Marvel will develop a series focused on Daredevil first, followed by shows about the characters Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. These will combine as one big “epic,” and culminate in a miniseries event, The Defenders. The endeavor will stretch over multiple years, and as the announcement says, take Netflix members “deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York.”

The shows will make their way to the streaming service beginning in 2015. They’re being produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Television Studios.

Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos said, “Marvel’s movies, such as ‘Iron Man’ and Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’, are huge favorites on our service around the world. Like Disney, Marvel is a known and loved brand that travels. With ‘House of Cards’ and our other original series, we have pioneered new approaches to storytelling and to global distribution and we’re thrilled to be working with Disney and Marvel to take our brand of television to new levels with a creative project of this magnitude.”

“This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment. “This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

Netflix and Disney made a big movie distribution deal last year, which will see theatrically released feature films from Disney appear on Netflix starting in 2016. Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription TV service for first run movies from the company, and that includes Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature and Lucasfilm.

Even more recently, Netflix and Disney made a similar deal for content in the Netherlands.